Met Office wins gobbledygook award for using ‘baffling language’

Forecasters at the Met Office have been handed a booby prize for their baffling use of âgobbledygookâ.

The forecasters used an unusual choice of words to report the weather – High waves batter the coastline at Helensburgh, Scotland (Picture: PA)

The weather service was singled out by the Plain English Campaign for using the words âprobabilities of precipitationâ rather than telling people if rain was âlikelyâ or âvery likelyâ.

The forecasters’ choice of words made them one of several winners of the Golden Bull prizes, given by the organisation whenever they highlight unusual use of the English language.

The change to the precipitation system last month was to âhelp the nation learn useful weather termsâ, the Met Office said.

The forecasters also defended their use of the word, saying that its meaning can be used to describe all types of sky-based weather conditions.

A lorry blew on its side on the A66 between Cumbria and Co. Durham (Picture: North News)

‘Precipitation covers a wide range of stuff falling from the sky including rain, sleet, snow, hail, drizzle and even cats and dogs – but sums it up in just one word,’ explained a Met Office spokesperson.

The Plain English awards aim to persuade organisations to use clear language with the public.

Along with the Met Office, winners included the Houses of Parliament, Directgov for their complicated English and the Flybe airline, among others.

The Foot In Mouth award for 2011, went to former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi for what was described as his ‘ almost unbearable public gaffes’ one of his most talked about being his description of President Barack Obama as being ‘ young, handsome and also suntanned.’